Braiding mechanism and methods of use

Abstract

Devices and methods for forming a tubular braid comprising a plurality of filaments. The braiding machine includes a circular array of filament guiding members defining a plane; a mandrel defining an axis and adapted to carry one or more filaments extending from the mandrel to the circular array; a plurality of filaments extending from the mandrel in a radial array; a plurality of actuator mechanisms disposed operably about the disc; and a rotating mechanism adapted to rotate one or more filaments. The actuator mechanisms and rotating mechanism are configured to move each of the one or more filaments about the mandrel axis in a path comprising a series of arcs and radial movements. The braiding machine may alternately first and second annular members, a mandrel, first and second plurality of tubular wire guides, and a plurality of wires extending from the mandrel.

Description

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 13 / 570,499, filed Aug. 9, 2012, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13 / 275,264, filed Oct. 17, 2011, the disclosures of all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The invention relates to an apparatus and methods for making a tubular braid comprising a plurality of filaments, particularly small diameter wires.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Braiding machines have long been used in industry, for example, to braid metallic wire into electrical or electronic cable as a protective armor or into hydraulic hose and cordage as a load bearing structure or into rope, either metallic or non-metallic.[0004]The two main kinds of braiding machines presently used are maypole-type braiding machines and internal cam rotary-type braiding machines. The maypole-type machine uses a plurality of spool carriers to...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]The braiding apparatus described herein provides improved means of manufacturing high wire-count (also described as high picks per inch or PPI) tubular braids of small diameter filaments, and is particularly useful for the production of fine wire metallic alloy (e.g. nitinol, cobalt-chrome and platinum-tungsten) for medical applications.

Problems solved by technology

The speed of these machines is limited by the inertia of the carriers and / or changes in tension on the filaments resulting from the continuously changing radial movement towards and away from the point of braid formation.

These types of braiding machines, however, are generally limited to production of braids using lower filament count and / or generally large filaments.

These Megabraiders, however, are generally used for large structures and are not suitable for most medical applications that require construction with fine wires that have low tensile strength.

The Wardwell Braider, however, becomes unreliable when trying to braid strands or filaments of material, particularly very fine wire materials, having extremely small diameters.

The rotary technique used therein produces so much tension on the very small diameter materials, particularly at one stage of the braiding process, that such extremely fine filaments tend to break, requiring that the machine be stopped.

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